Newtown
At 1,810.9 residents per sq km, Newtown is a compact Toowoomba suburb with 10,039 people across 5.54 sq km. Its housing is detached-dominant, with 70.9% separate houses, while 47.9% of households rent, a higher share than the 24.1% owned outright. The median age is 35, five years below the national comparison, and household income sits at the 25.3rd percentile. Compared with nearby Toowoomba City and Rockville, Newtown has an established housing profile, lower household incomes and a slow 0.46% annual growth trend. Healthcare and education account for 24.9% and 12.5% of employment, reinforcing its service-based economy.
Population
10,039
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,200/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
26
Newtown suits buyers prioritising established, conventional housing over apartment-led stock: 70.9% of dwellings are separate houses, 19.2% are semi-detached and 9.7% are apartments. Three-bedroom homes account for 50.2%, while 28.9% have two bedrooms, making the suburb relevant to smaller households as well as families. A current median house price is not available, so recent comparable sales matter more than a single benchmark. The indicative mortgage payment is $1,254 monthly, with mortgage costs at 24.1% of household income. Renting costs $289 weekly, and 47.9% rent, higher than the 26.9% paying a mortgage. This tenure mix matters because first-home buyers and investors may compete for similar three-bedroom stock.
For Buyers
Newtown suits buyers prioritising established, conventional housing over apartment-led stock: 70.9% of dwellings are separate houses, 19.2% are semi-detached and 9.7% are apartments. Three-bedroom homes account for 50.2%, while 28.9% have two bedrooms, making the suburb relevant to smaller households as well as families. A current median house price is not available, so recent comparable sales matter more than a single benchmark. The indicative mortgage payment is $1,254 monthly, with mortgage costs at 24.1% of household income. Renting costs $289 weekly, and 47.9% rent, higher than the 26.9% paying a mortgage. This tenure mix matters because first-home buyers and investors may compete for similar three-bedroom stock.
For Investors
Newtown's investor case is supported by renter concentration rather than rapid capital-growth signals. Renting accounts for 47.9% of occupied dwellings, above the 24.1% owned outright and 26.9% mortgaged shares, while weekly rent is $289. Vacancy is 9.9%, higher than the low-vacancy conditions investors typically prefer, so letting periods and property condition deserve close attention. The 0.46% annual growth trend is slower than a high-growth market, and the area is classified as established. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, while population change across the wider area is 4.9% over 10 years. Twenty-four development matters were recorded in 12 months, including footpath, stormwater and road-reserve works. With no current median house price, calculate yield from $289 weekly rent against each property's verified purchase price and costs.
Development Activity
Total DAs
96
Last 12 Months
26
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+36.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Newtown
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Clifford Park Special School
Toowoomba West Special School
Newtown State School
Demographics
Newtown's median age is 35, five years below the national comparison, yet the senior share has risen 2.2 percentage points and the young share has fallen 0.9 points, giving the suburb a mixed age direction. Average household size is 2.2 people, 0.3 below the national comparison, and 40.9% of families are couples without children. English ancestry is the largest reported group at 3,695 people, followed by Irish at 1,348, Scottish at 1,047 and German at 982. Overseas-born residents comprise 17.3%, 4.3 percentage points below national, while university attainment is 24.6%, 5.5 points below national. Christianity counts 4,762 residents and no religion 3,629. This creates a settled, Anglo-leaning profile, although 29.2% turnover means residential movement is higher than the 70.8% who stayed.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
70.9%
Houses
19.2%
Townhouse
9.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Newtown's housing mix is more detached than apartment-led: 70.9% of dwellings are separate houses, 19.2% are semi-detached and 9.7% are apartments. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 50.2%, while two-bedroom homes make up 28.9%; a further 16.4% contain four or more bedrooms. Tenure is split between 47.9% renting, 26.9% mortgaged and 24.1% owned outright, making renting higher than either ownership category. A reliable price-to-income ratio cannot be stated without a median sale price. Household income is $1,200 weekly and sits at the 25.3rd percentile, while mortgage-to-income and rent-to-income are both 24.1%. Compared with nearby Toowoomba City and Rockville, buyers should inspect dwelling condition and renovation needs carefully because established stock can vary more than suburb-wide percentages suggest.
Mortgage / mo
$1,254
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $289.
$560
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $560 · units $440
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$688
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.9%
Unoccupied
463
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.5%
Couples with children
40.9%
Couples, no children
26.3%
Single parent
2,455
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Newtown's leading industry at 24.9% of jobs, followed by education at 12.5%, construction at 8.4%, retail at 7.7% and manufacturing at 6.9%. That concentration links local employment to essential services, schools, building activity and everyday consumption rather than a single high-growth sector. Labour-force participation is 59.1%, unemployment is 7.2%, and 59.8% of employed residents work full time, pointing to a softer employment profile than a tightly employed suburb. Occupations are spread across professionals at 763 people, community and personal service at 707, trades at 673, labourers at 663 and clerical or administrative work at 514. Household income is $1,200 weekly, at the 25.3rd percentile and below the national median. This mix can support steady local demand, but income constraints may limit how quickly residents absorb higher housing or rent costs.
Unemployment
7.2%
Labour Force
4,826
Unemployed
349
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.8%
Part-time
34.4%
Participation
59.1%
Employed
4,477
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.6%
Postgraduate
5.4%
Born Overseas
17.3%
Dwellings
4,214
Transport to Work
Newtown has practical access to local education, but families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. Three local schools cover one government state school and two government special schools, creating a more specialised sector mix than a typical family-only school network. Public transport use is only 0.6%, compared with 79.8% who drive a car, so daily convenience is strongly car-oriented; 5.2% walk or cycle and 6.0% work from home. The suburb's IRSAD and IRSD results are both in decile 1, while education and occupation deciles are 2, indicating substantially lower socioeconomic advantage than higher-decile areas. Volunteering is 14.6%, and 8.1% of residents need assistance. Check current Queensland Police information for safety context. Density is 1,810.9 people per sq km, higher than a low-density fringe setting, while the 5.54 sq km footprint keeps services relatively close.
Drive
79.8%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
5.2%
Work from Home
6.0%
Growth Outlook
Newtown fits an established, slow-growth pattern. The annual trend is 0.46%, while population change across the wider area is 4.9% over 10 years, both below the pace associated with a major expansion corridor. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the shift trajectory is Mixed, with working-age share up 0.9 points, young share down 0.9 points and senior share up 2.2 points. Rent growth of 31.4% indicates stronger housing-cost pressure than the 0.46% population trend would suggest. Affordability was broadly stable, moving from 42.5% in 2011 to 42.0% in 2021, while real income growth reached 8.0%. Gentrification is rated Not gentrifying, with a score of 0, so change is more likely to come from gradual turnover, migration and incremental works than rapid demographic replacement. Twenty-four development matters in 12 months support ongoing activity, but do not indicate a large dwelling surge.
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Newtown compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Newtown a good suburb to live in?
Newtown can suit households seeking established housing, practical services and a car-oriented lifestyle. It has 10,039 residents, 70.9% separate houses and 47.9% renters. The trade-offs are lower socioeconomic deciles, with IRSAD at decile 1, and limited public transport use at 0.6%.
What is the median house price in Newtown?
A current median house price cannot be stated for Newtown. Buyers should compare recent settled sales by dwelling type and bedroom count, especially because 70.9% of homes are separate houses and 50.2% have 3 bedrooms. Household income is $1,200 weekly, so affordability should be assessed against the exact purchase price.
What schools are in Newtown?
Newtown has 3 local schools represented by 1 government state school and 2 government special schools. Families should confirm catchment boundaries and enrolment requirements for the exact address, because school zones can cross suburb boundaries. The local school mix is more specialised than a standard primary and secondary network.
Is Newtown safe?
Safety should be checked using current Queensland Police information and visits at different times, as a suburb-wide crime rate is not stated. Newtown has a density of 1,810.9 people per sq km and 79.8% of residents drive, factors that can influence street activity and local movement patterns.
Is Newtown good for property investment?
Newtown may suit investors targeting rental demand, with 47.9% of dwellings rented and weekly rent of $289. However, vacancy is 9.9%, above tight-market conditions, and annual growth is only 0.46%. Compare the verified purchase price, expected yield, maintenance and vacancy allowance before buying.
How is Newtown's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is 4.9% over 10 years, with an annual trend of 0.46%, indicating slower growth than a major expansion corridor. Overseas migration is the primary driver. The trajectory is Mixed, with the senior share up 2.2 points and the young share down 0.9 points.
What development is happening in Newtown?
There were 24 development matters recorded over 12 months. Recent examples include operational works on road reserves, footpaths and stormwater, plus works associated with a residential or material change application. This indicates ongoing local activity, but the available examples do not confirm a specific number of new dwellings.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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